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This Week's News Things Players Need To Know! Yahoo Group:
blueroomjamsessions
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WHERE ARE THE JAM SESSIONS??


Bolivia (Freddie Hubbard / Warsaw, Poland 1991)
HAIKU "JAZZ"
many notes are played
even those that are missing
are you listening?
- joey ventitelli -


This Week's News and More (Next Jam: unknown at this time):

News:
  • UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE, THE JAZZ JAM SESSIONS AT THE OLD CLARION HOTEL ARE CANCELLED.
  • Thank you all those who came out to play. I am working on a new location and will keep you all posted!



  • ** Please note that there will be a 2 drink minimum to help keep the jazz jam sessions going. This can include bottled water and sodas as well! Thank you for your understanding.

  • Come early to the jam sessions...time permitting, between 7:30 and 8:00pm we may be showing footage of various jazz videos and live performances (e.g., Miles Davis, etc.).  Come hang out early, have a drink and relax a bit.

  • Jam sessions now are every Thursday, and unless otherwise noted, are from 8-10:30 PM; call the Blue Room at the Capital City Hotel Cal Expo (formerly the Clarion) for updates (916-487-7600).



    Vocalists:
    Vocalists are of course always welcome! Unless you sing the tune in the 'standard key', please come prepared with charts in your key (at least concert key for the pianist and bassist; Bb parts are also cool to have for trumpet and soprano sax/tenor players).
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    More:
    Remember - keep buyin' drinks (sodas are fine too!) so we can continue to have a place to play!  We've always had a great time so don't miss a session!



  • *******************

    PLAYERS/SINGERS: A few notes to live by!!.....

    Thank you to all who come out to play. Remember it's also about supporting each other too, so please keep your talking to a minimum and always clap after each solo.

    Some of you are playing a full chorus of the melody at the end of your solos - DON'T DO THAT! Playing the actual full melody should be reserved for the very last chorus before we end the tune.

    Be sure to give me your e-mail address so I can get you invited to join our yahoo Group "
    blueroomjamsessions"! You can post messages, reply to messages, answer polls and more.

    Of course feel free to e-mail your constructive comments and suggestions.

    Also, be sure you check out the photo gallery - new pictures are always added when we have new players or special guests!

    Chet

    P.S. Click the following link to check out pictures from the great cookout/jam session I hosted up at my place on Nov. 4, 2006!  THE PARTY!

    *******************




    Thoughts: Our new format is more based on the New York style jam session. Rather than calling players up, everyone is invited to play on each tune. Just help me remember to ask the bass player and drummer if they need a break!

    If you have any questions about how we are running the jam sessions, don't hesitate to come to me directly, or e-mail me.


    Tunes: Each week it is best to come prepared with 2-3 tunes to play. Unless you bring in music of your own to pass out to the house band, please choose your tunes from the Real Book (either old or new). Below is a sample list of standards in various styles (I'll add to it as time permits). Some tunes are so classic that their orginal arrangements are played as well, such as 'shout choruses', intros or endings (e.g., Recordame's shout chorus or the ending to Joy Spring):
    Swing...
    Autumn Leaves Bye Bye Blackbird
    Joy Spring Ballad...
    Darn that Dream
    Bossa/Latin...
    One Note Samba Wave


    This page is still kind of new, so be patient. We'll have a lot for this website, as well as our Yahoo Group.

    PLEASE NOTE: To join the yahoo group you need to receive an invitation. This will keep our yahoo group website limited to those who take the time to play at the jam sessions and otherwise want to learn about their own playing as well as learn more about this music we call JAZZ. Click the below link to send me (Chet) an e-mail if you're interested. Please include what instrument(s) you play and how often you plan to come out to the jam sessions.

    Come back often to check our updates and any news about surprise guests joining us and more.
    Any questions or want to join the Yahoo Group, just send me an e-mail.



    Things Players Need to Know!

    Again, thank you for taking the time to come out and play! That said, in order to make this the best experience for all there are a few things to be aware of, such as stage etiquette, as well as how to shape your solos, and much more. More on that to come soon...

    One such way to improve your playing is to occasionally incorporate some ii-V-I patterns. Here's a very nice pattern...I recommend you learn it in all 12 keys!:




    JAZZ BLUES (VS. CHICAGO BLUES, ETC.)
    ------------------------------------
    There are a few players who come out that are not as familiar with the chord changes for a jazz blues.  As a result, you will find below the standard chord changes for a blues, but a jazz blues:

    The below shows a jazz blues, but using Roman Numerals to show the root movement for each chord, "I" being the key you're in:
                 |    I7   |   IV7   |    I7   |    I7   |   IV7   |   IV7   |   I7    |   VI7    | ii min7 |   V7   |    I7          |   V7            ||
    
    
    
    Example 1:   |   Bb7   |   Eb7   |   Bb7   |   Bb7   |   Eb7   |   Eb7   |   Bb7   |    G7    |  Cmin7  |   F7   |   Bb7          |   F7            ||
    
    
    Example 2 adds 2 more chords in the turnaround, or last two measures...
    
    Example 2:   |   Bb7   |   Eb7   |   Bb7   |   Bb7   |   Eb7   |   Eb7   |   Bb7   |    G7    |  Cmin7  |   F7   |   Bb7    G7    |   Cmin7    F7   ||
    
    
    Example 3 adds still more chords in measures 7 and 8...
    
    Example 3:   |   Bb7   |   Eb7   |   Bb7   |   Bb7   |   Eb7   |   Eb7   | Bb7  A7 | Ab7  G7  |  Cmin7  |   F7   |   Bb7    G7    |   Cmin7    F7   ||
    
    
    There are many more examples, but the above are just a few to illustrate the differences in the Rock and Chicago-style blues chord progressions, as compared to a blues played in jazz.


    Suggested Recordings:
    It can not be stressed enough to just listen to the masters and how they phrased, interacted with each other, everything. Each time you listen to a recording, if you're really listening, you'll hear something new every time. Below are some suggested recordings to listen to (more added as time permits):

    Album Name Artist(s)Suggested Tune(s)
    Kind Of Blue Miles DavisSo What, All Blues


    Instrument Repair
    One contact I have is Fred Morgan, out of Rocklin.  His number is 624-0556.
    There's always Northridge Music, near Sunrise Ave. and Greenback.  Their number is 722-3434.



    Yahoo Group: blueroomjamsessions
    I've created the Yahoo Group "blueroomjamsessions" so that all of us who participate in the jam sessions can communicate more easily with each other, answer some polls, and more.  However it is by invitation only in order to keep it from getting cluttered by any outside junk mail, etc.  In order to join, just send me your name, e-mail address, what instrument you play and how often you plan to come to the jam sessions at the Blue Room.  It's sure to become a great site!
    Click to join blueroomjamsessions

    Click to join blueroomjamsessions










    WHERE?:
    The jazz jam sessions are held in the Blue Room, at the Capital City Hotel Cal Expo (formerly the Clarion), at the corner of Auburn and Fulton (2600 Auburn Ave.), right off the Capital City Freeway/Business-80 (right at the Fulton Ave. Exit), and run every other Thursday from 8:00 to 10:30 or so.




    Keep listening and transcribing! See you next time at The Blue Room!